Proclivity Against Change
by LoneDesolateWriter
Summary: AU A car crash is what brought him down in the end, not a hollow, not a blade, a car. It all happened slow, yet fast. Then it all disappeared, and he found himself, without a memory of anything, in a place the strange pale creature called, Rukongai. Or, alternatively summed, Ichigo explores Rukongai and fishing turns out to be impossible.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: 42k words written for this fic. Wow! This is the longest thing I've ever written! I'll slowly post the chapters throughout the months. Anyway, this was just a case of me wanting some Ichigo in Rukongai fic, and then it grew out of proportions. Basically, this is an AU in which the fullbringers don't exist, and the magic sword that Rukia stabs Ichigo to regain his powers also doesn't exist because it only worked the first time due to the magical wish-granting powers of the Hogyoku. Enjoy!**

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><p>Kurosaki Ichigo idly strolled down the streets. As always, he had his bag slung over his shoulder and was heading back home. It had been a couple months since he last saw Rukia, and he was doing his best not to think about it and just enjoy his peaceful, calm life. The wind tug at his hair, and the sun shone warmly on his face.<p>

To the left of him was the soccer field, full of young children, and his sister Karin playing and running about. A soccer ball suddenly flew; a powerful kick sent it straight into the street. It landed far away from him, but he stopped anyway and watched a kid climb over the fence to retrieve it. The ball rolled onto the street, so the kid followed.

"Come here ball," the little kid murmured as they ran after it.

Ichigo smiled softly at the cute scene. Suddenly, there was a rumble of wheels. The child hadn't heard it, for Ichigo's ears were still fine tuned to changes in wind and rustles of fabric. Without thinking, Ichigo dropped his bag and leapt at the child, pushing him and the ball out of harms way. The two bounced on the road, Ichigo taking the brunt of it. Safe on the side of the road, Ichigo uncurled himself from the boy. He brought himself down to eye-level with the boy.

"Be careful next time, alright?" he said.

As he started to get up, a pair of bright lights immediately blinded him. Instantly, he pushed the boy out of the way as he felt the car nail him straight at his back. His breath was immediately knocked out when he hit the road, back first, sending out several jolts of pain. Ichigo's vision swam, and he could feel the familiar warm liquid trickle out of his back. Distantly, he heard cries of help and pressure at where his injuries where. However, he barely registered any of it as a several thoughts raced through his mind, each appearing and disappearing as fast as the blades of a fan. _The car wasn't even close, it shouldn't have hit me. I wasn't even close to the road. It must've sped up, too. Was it an accident or was it-_

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><p>The first thing he felt was the rough, hard ground. The next thing he felt was a drop of cool water. The single drop turned into several drops, and soon he felt himself getting drenched. Water flowed down his exposed arms and plastered his hair to his face. The ground soaked it all up like a sponge, and he felt the mud starting to cling onto his hands. The orange haired teen screwed his eyes shut. <em>No use opening my eyes if they're just going to get drenched<em>, he thought.

He blindly got up and immediately hit his head. His eyes flew open just as several drops hit him in the face. He wiped the liquid from his face and blinked the water out. He glanced upwards and saw a single branch, one without a leaf and looked to be completely lifeless, hanging directly above him.

"So that's why I didn't feel any rain in some places," he muttered to himself.

He surveyed his surroundings which turned out to be a forest. He noted, a little irritated, that he woke up in the only place in the forest without a canopy to block the rain. The teen looked down at himself and saw himself wearing a white garb.

"I feel like this should be black," he mused to himself.

The teen frowned. He focused on the feeling and realized something.

"Where are my memories?" he asked out loud.

_ I swear I had them_, he thought. He tried to relocate them, but it all drew up to be a blur. He couldn't even remember his own name. The most he knew was that he had just died. Sighing, he shrugged his shoulders. He looked around the forest and found nothing but endless rows of trees...except in one direction. He went that way. It was an opening of the forest, and upon observing it, he was able to spot buildings in the distance. He looked up. Rain was still falling, but he wanted to visit civilization instead of holing himself up in a dark forest, waiting for the rain to stop.

"To go or not to go, that is the question," he murmured.

_ I wonder where that was from_, he thought. He looked up again, and to his relief the clouds were beginning to disperse. _To hell with it_, he thought and he was out walking toward the buildings.

Now that he was closer, he could see that the buildings were shabby and poor. The walls that were probably once white were brown and peeling like a banana. As far as he could see were houses, all badly in need of repairs. Even the air had the permanent smell of dusty dirt. He saw people mulling about and saw that they were dressed in clothes as poor as their houses. The orange head tugged at his white shihakusho and pondered if his will get as worn down as theirs. As the teen wandered around the village, he noticed everyone averting their gaze when he looked at them.

_ Is it the whiteness of my shihakusho? _He scowled slightly, but didn't stop his observation of the village. The air was filled with a tension of some sort, always feeling as if it was one villager against another. The teen frowned, even the little kids felt it and weren't entirely inclined to helping each other out. Scowls weren't uncommon in the village, and he wondered why.

Suddenly, a loud, deep roar echoed across the village. The kids shrieked and ran off, but most of the villagers frowns deepened and continued working. Another roar, this time shriller and quieter pierced through the tension. A group of big, white masked creatures abruptly landed in front of the teen. He startled, and unconsciously stepped back. This time the villagers ran off, screaming.

The monsters, _hollows_, his mind supplied, growled as they smashed open a house effortlessly. It let loose a string of dust, and most importantly, the frightened sound of screaming children. His mind went into overdrive.

"Hey!" the orange head yelled while throwing a rock at the hollows.

They growled and turned toward him. He gulped. _Good thing they stopped thinking about the kids_, he thought as he discreetly watched a young girl holding the hands of a smaller boy and a bundle of cloth scramble out of the rubble. He picked up another rock and threw it at the hollows.

"Catch me if you can!" he yelled.

He broke off in a run. He heard the hollows chasing him, big thumping on the ground. His heart raced as he pushed his legs to go faster. _Come on, come on_, he furiously thought as he zipped out of the village and back into the forest. Trees toppled behind him, causing the ground to shake like an earthquake. They slowed the hollows down, but not enough.

Leaves rustled with each step, and he could feel their _Reiatsu_, another helpful tip from his lost memories, pounding down on his back. It was hard, like a lightweight rock threatening to smash him to pieces. Sweat beaded on his forehead. Suddenly a hollow crashed down in front of him, the force knocking him onto his back.

"Fuck," he muttered angrily.

"Oooh! I knew this one was worth it guys! He has more Reiatsu than the other tasteless souls!"

The bird like hollow in front of him cackled. The others grumbled in delight, sending the leaves and branches crashing onto the floor with every laugh. The teen slowly got up, muscles tense. He was surrounded.

"He wants to fight too!" another hollow crowed.

"So, you think you can beat us? Do you know how many souls we've eaten, _boy_?" said the third hollow.

"I'll kill him this time," the first hollow told.

The orange haired teen turned toward the hollow while the others backed off. The hollow was much larger than him and seemed to resemble a dog. His mask was long and the horns looked like cute little ears. The teen shook his head. Cute or not, the hollow was going to kill him if he wasn't careful.

The hollow lunged at him. He instinctively dodged and kicked the hollow. It growled and swiped a claw at him. The teen jumped to the side and punched the hollow's claw. Leaping up, he launched a powerful kick at the hollow's leg and landed back on the ground. Huffing lightly, he stood up and watched the hollow roll across the ground from the strength of his kick. _What was I doing when I was alive?_

There was a breeze to the side of his head, and instantly he ducked. His eyes widened as another clawed hand shot at his chest. He threw himself at the ground.

"Too slow!"

Within seconds he was flying through the air. He smashed into a tree, splintering it and showering him with wooden splinters.

"I can't believe this _boy _almost had you!" the voice of the third hollow said angrily.

He stood up completely unaffected by the blood dripping down his back and arms. The bird hollow saw him and instantly began assaulting him with a barrage of strikes. The boy dodged them all and threw in kicks and punches where he could. He jumped away from the hollow. The teen's legs and arms ached. The hollow before him was much stronger and faster than the dog one, and his attacks were utterly useless against it. He wiped away the sweat away from his eyes.

There was a rustle behind him. He jumped to the side as a claw lashed out, but it suddenly changed direction. It ripped across his kosode and left several stinging wounds. He got off the hard ground and was immediately flung across the clearing and into another tree. Something cracked, and he slid onto the ground. The ferns and grass poked and scratched at his exposed skin. The teen frowned as his vision blurred at the edges.

"Not so tough now."

Gritting his teeth, the teen pushed himself up. Before he could do so, his left arm stopped responding. A quick glance told him that the crack he heard earlier and the odd numbing, yet sparking with pain, feeling wasn't made up. His arm was bent unnaturally and every attempt to move it brought his vision tunneling and several shots of dangerous pain.

"Fuck."

Three white blobs neared him, and he increased his struggles to get up. A thought flashed through his mind. A strong feeling overcame him. Somehow, he knew he couldn't die here. There were people out there that wouldn't want him to die there. With renewed vigor, he pushed pass the dizzying pain and stood up. With his good arm, he steadied himself up. The hollows watched, intrigued at the boy that wouldn't give up.

Finally, one of the hollows grew tired at the scene. The dog hollow launched himself at the boy and easily swept him to the side. The orange head, now covered with splotches of blood, struggled up again.

"I will not die today!" the teen yelled as the same hollow ran at him.

He clumsily dodged the attack. His left arm was jostled, but he paid it no mind. He gathered up his strength and pushed it into one powerful kick at the hollow. Before it could connect, he was flung into the air again. His head hit the ground first. He groaned at the impact and felt dust getting inside his throat. He pushed himself up and coughed out a disgusting mixture of stabbing pain, scarlet blood, and crimson stained dirt. _I will not die!_

"Now you're just a nuisance. Die already!"

His brown eyes widened as a white claw appeared out of nowhere, aiming directly at his head. Suddenly, it was gone. He saw it evaporate into particles and disappear into the air. A quick scan told him that the other hollows were all subject to the same fate. With the enemy now gone, his vision instantly swayed. Distantly he felt himself falling over, but before he hit the ground, he felt a pair of strong, warm hands grab onto him. A flash of pure, crystal white was all he saw before the darkness enveloped him.


	2. Chapter 2

Fire crackled. At least, he thought it sounded like fire. With a groan, he attempted to roll onto his side when a voice stopped him.

"Don't. You'll reopen your wounds."

His eyes snapped open. The voice was familiar and it brought a sort of relieved, astonished, and completely joyful feeling. The feelings bounced about inside him, and he strained his head to take a look at the voice's owner. On the other side of the fire was a pale spirit cloaked in all white except for the black ruffles around his neck. His hair was a glowing white, and a black skull mask that seemed to melt with the shadows sat atop the right side of his head; however, the most striking feature was his blue and white eyes. They were piercingly bright and filled with the same relief that seemed to be swirling around in the teen's chest. A single word slipped out of the boy's mouth.

"Zangetsu?"

The spirit made his way toward the orange head, and checked his bandages.

"I've told you before, it's Tensa Zangetsu."

Zangetsu's voice was annoyed, but tinged with amusement. The orange head frowned slightly. His eyebrows furrowed as he tried to remember why the spirit was so familiar. The name, Tensa Zangetsu, reminded him of a thin, black daito, but the name, Zangetsu, reminded him of the spirit currently fussing over him and an old man in a long, ever flowing coat. Yet, he knew that both names could apply to the spirit.

Zangetsu poked and prodded his injuries lightly, and the teen hissed when he prodded his back. The teen suddenly noticed how much his body ached from the strain from the day before. Every position brought absolutely no relief to his sore muscles. They felt as if someone had pulled out each and every muscle, stretched it from one city to another, and stuffed back into his body.

To his relief his injuries were less painful. That is, until a hand lightly brushed over the sensitive skin. The teen let out a soft hiss, and he instantly heard a quiet apology from the spirit.

Soon, the white cloaked spirit finished rewrapping the bandages. He sat back on his legs, and sighed softly.

"You saved me, didn't you, Zangetsu?" the teen asked.

"Of course. Remember what I said? The things I want to protect is not the things you want to protect."

A flash of deep melancholy draped around a drowned landscape went through the orange head's mind. Another thought went through his mind, and he internally despaired. Zangetsu believed that he still had his memories. The teen took a breath.

"Zangetsu," the teen muttered, "I don't remember anything."

Disappointment plastered itself across Zangetsu's face. The joy melted from his eyes and a small breath escaped from his lips. It was quickly replaced by something darker. The teen suddenly had memories of the intense hatred Zangetsu was emitting. The spirit ducked his head into the shadows, and the aura dispersed. His shoulders slumped in resignation, and he leaned back on the grass next to the recovering teen. Zangetsu's tilted his head toward the sky and viewed the glittering stars. The teen's chest tightened.

"I sort of remember you," the boy offered, "and I'm remembering more and more."

Zangetsu gave a sad smile. The boy yawned. He shifted on the makeshift cloth-bed. The teen watched the world blur from tiredness and closed his eyes.

Noting his owner's exhaustion, Zangetsu asked, "Do you remember your name?"

The boy made a small sound of dissent.

"Your name is Kurosaki Ichigo," Zangetsu murmured softly.

A small smile graced his lips. _Yes, that is my name_. His flurrying mind calmed with the revelation, and finally Kurosaki Ichigo allowed the warm confines of sleep take over. His face smoothed, every crinkle disappeared and tension from the sheer thought of not knowing evaporated from his resting face. Ichigo's breathing relaxed like a steady stream of water. Zangetsu lightly brushed away stray orange locks from his partner's face.

The Zanpakuto spirit stood up and brushed away invisible dirt from his pristine coat. He made his way toward the fire. Tucking a stray strand of white hair behind his ear, he stoked the fire. After making sure there was enough to last the night, Tensa Zangetsu lied down next to Ichigo and stared up at the stars and the moon.

_ Heavenly Chain Slaying Moon_, the spirit thought bitterly. _The moon is slain but now the chain is broken and cannot be repaired. Perhaps in time it could, but too many plots are being laid out_. Tensa Zangetsu exhaled into the cool air. His hand absentmindedly traced the edges of the hollow mask. He glanced at Ichigo. _At least it'll be fun_, he chuckled quietly. With that thought, he too relaxed his body and attempted to drift into the realm of dreams. He thought of skyscrapers dotting the sky and peaceful clouds roaming their way leisurely across the light, airy blue plains.

Two minutes later, Zangetsu got up. Running a hand through his hair, he idly stoked the fire.

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Ichigo awoke to hushed, yet harsh and pointed, talking. He recognized Zangetsu's alto voice, but he didn't recognize the other's smooth, with an underlying threat, alto. He turned his head toward the voices, shifting the grass underneath his head and causing a slight rustle to be heard. Immediately, Zangetsu stopped talking, and the other man followed suit. Ichigo strained his head, but all he could see was a strikingly white uniform and the equally white boots of the unknown man.

"I will head back now. I will return later to get his judgment whether you wish for it to happen or not," the mysterious man promised.

Shadows suddenly poured in around the man, and within seconds, they disappeared along with the man. Zangetsu walked wordlessly to Ichigo and began to methodically check his bandages. His face was completely devoid of emotion except for a sliver of hate that seemed to swirl in both eyes.

"Uh, who was that?" Ichigo inquired.

Zangetsu's pale hands stilled. Ichigo watched curiously as a debate played out in his blue and gold eyes, as if two entities were debating instead of one. _Wait_, Ichigo suddenly thought, _weren't there two spirits? _

"Zangetsu, you can tell me about him later, but um, weren't there two Zangetsus? What happened to the other one?"

His head snapped up so fast Ichigo swore it would've gave him whiplash if he wasn't a spirit. There was something Ichigo couldn't read in his eyes.

"What... do you mean?"

His voice was absolutely full of shock. However, Ichigo felt there was another emotion hidden underneath the surprise. He felt like it was hope, but for what? Ichigo sat up, and looked him in the eye.

"Well, I remember two of you. One was dressed in black, and one was dressed in white," Ichigo mused.

The teen looked away, a slight frown developing on his face.

"I also remember one Zanpakuto, but that doesn't feel right. It just feels like there should be two Zangetsus since it's not healthy to ignore a part of your soul, right, Zangetsu?"

"Yeah."

For once, the double toned voice was unified in joy and disbelief. Zangetsu's eyes glittered in the sun, and Ichigo wondered what was it that he said provoked such an intense reaction. The boy smiled softly, and stood up. His muscles ached less, and he felt good to be on his feet again. He stood without fail, and Zangetsu quickly stood up upon realizing the injuries were healing faster than he thought.

Ichigo watched the spirit for a whole two seconds when something happened. Zangetsu's eyes widened. The graceful spirit stumbled, and Ichigo quickly reached up to steady him. Ichigo was surprised at the absolute nothingness that was in his hands when they held up the spirit. That was impossible, he was sure Zangetsu wasn't this light! He looked at Zangetsu. The image seemed to shimmer in the air and it flickered every few seconds.

"I forgot," he said breathily, "that this form isn't permanent."

Even his voice seemed to fade in and out.

"What?" Ichigo asked dumbly.

"I'll explain later, but I'm going to have to revert to Zanpakuto form to conserve energy. Have fun, Ichigo," the spirit whispered.

Within a moment the spirit dissolved into Reishi and reformed into a thin, obsidian black daito with a pristine, snow-white tsuba right in Ichigo's hand. Kurosaki felt a weight on his hip, and with a quick swipe of his brown eyes he found a silvery sheath tied to his waist. The teen took a few experimental swipes and slashes with Tensa Zangetsu and was not surprised to find the movements all familiar and comforting. He rubbed his other hand over the polished blade and quickly tucked it in the sheath.


	3. Chapter 3

Wind tugged harshly at Ichigo's face. His eyes were narrowed to prevent them from being dried out, and his face was set in a permanent scowl. His stomach growled. The forest died out a long ways back, and now he was at the mercy of the winds. His mud brown eyes suddenly spotted a group of houses. _Food_, he thought hungrily. His stomach rumbled in agreement.

The village was small, but it was bigger than the first one. The villagers seemed to avert their eyes whenever Ichigo came close. He dully noted that everyone had frowns and a dark look of absolute mistrust permanently set on their faces. Suddenly, the smell of roasting fish filled the air. It wasn't anything fragrant; the smell was potent with smoke and salty fish meat, but Ichigo's mouth watered. The boy followed the smell. A lone man was busily roasting and cooking the fish over an open fire. He flipped the fish and set them on cracked china. His looked up and found the orange haired teen staring at him.

"Can I-" Ichigo started.

"Get lost," he growled. "I sense you have that Reiatsu stuff. You'll attract hollows with it. Get out of this town before one comes. You ain't wanted here."

Ichigo glared at the aggression, but left the man's house. Hollows didn't bother him, he had Zangetsu for that problem. It was then that Ichigo noticed how quiet the town was. Busy background noise filled the streets, but there was a noticeable lack of conversation. Ichigo twitched. People kept glaring at him, and he kept noticing them out of the corner of his eye. He watched two children play and talk - the only amount of life that seemed to grow in the community. This time his eyebrow twitched in... an emotion of some sort.

Finally, he saw someone who looked the least moody out of all the people. It was a young woman with soft brown hair and a face that was marked by weariness, but still had a natural friendliness to it. She actively took down clothing from the laundry line.

"Hello, do you know where I could get some food?" Ichigo asked.

She scanned him and nodded.

"I can get you food. For a price."

"What's the price?"

"Your sword. I want it."

Her tone dropped dangerously. Ichigo placed a hand on his Zanpakuto.

"No, how about something else?"

"No. I either get the sword and you get your food, or you go hungry," she said. "You can see that this village isn't the friendliest. I need a sword. You're big and strong. You don't. You need food more. Don't want to starve now, yes?"

"No," Ichigo firmly said.

Her eyes narrowed.

"Ah, so you are a no good shinigami. Only a shinigami has _those _swords. Coming here to demand food from us poor Rukongai citizens when all you eat is great food?"

"I'm not a-"

"Sure. And I'm not human. Get out of our village. Your stinking Reiatsu will attract the hollows you never take care of," she scorned.

With that said, she walked away, clothes basket filled with rugged clothing tucked under her arm. Ichigo started to tuck his hands into his pockets before feeling them brush off the fabric. His ears abruptly caught the sound of several, small, padding sounds. He smoothly stepped to the left as children appeared in his vision. Without warning, he felt a kick at the back of his left knee.

"What the-"

His left knee gave out. Two more kicks attacked his right knee. He somehow managed to not completely fall flat on his face.

"Go away!" the children yelled. "Go away shinigami!"

He heard them scrambling to get away while he got back up. Ichigo watched their backs retreat into houses, and he growled to himself. _Stupid kids_, he thought bitterly. _Stupid town_. His stomach pitched in to his mental rant. _Stupid hunger_.

The not-shinigami left the town after that. The winds returned, slashing at his face as if reminding him of his predicament. He toyed with the hilt of his Zanpakuto. Though he knew Zangetsu was peacefully resting away in their inner world, Ichigo couldn't help but feel as if the daito was completely empty and lifeless. His thoughts drifted to _shinigami_.

When the kids were kicking him, he had small, moment flashes of a pure white katana with a ribbon that seemed to dance in the wind, a blast of bright, red, spiky hair, and several, undistinguished faces all in nightmare black shihakusho. _Were these shinigami? _He glanced at his own clothes, half expecting to see them black. They were still white, but Ichigo felt they had gotten darker.

"Probably all of the dust," Ichigo mused out loud.

Stopping his walk, he kicked some of the dirt into the air. _Shinigami are supposed to protect humans, but they didn't protect the first group of Rukongai citizens_. He kicked the dirt again and restarted his search for food. The scent of cooked fish floated into his head. The crisp smell of green onion dabbed in the salty, yet flavoring, tang of soy sauce mixed with the fresh, steamed fish mentally tickled his nose. The taste of smooth, warm fish fillet perfected with the right amount of vinegar and soy sauce swirled in his mouth. His stomach grumbled.

"If they have fish, then there has to be a river nearby," Ichigo realized.

As if the world decided to like him again, a steady river soon appeared ahead, and Ichigo's eyes lighted up. He made his way to the river, and immediately began scanning the river for fish. To his delight, there were a school of fish that swam up and down the stream, almost as if they wanted the hungry teen to eat them. He paused. There was a distinct lack of fishing materials in his hands.

"Maybe if I use my hands I can get a fish," he hummed to himself.

He rolled up his hakama to his knees, took off his footwear, and pushed up his sleeves. He puffed out a breath and stepped into the river. His muscles froze at the chill of the river. Gradually, they relaxed, but a slight shiver would pass through him every few seconds. Ichigo blew on his hands and rubbed them against each other.

"Okay, here I go."

The teen stood absolutely still and waited. Wind chilled his exposed calves as a single, rock grey fish slowly, but steadily, swam toward him. As it swam within his arm reach, Ichigo quickly shoved his hands into the water and tried to grab the fish. His hands closed around water, and his remaining shihakusho darkened from the splashes. He left his hands in the water and hungrily watched the fish speedily swim away from him.

Ichigo scowled. A few minutes passed, and another fish ventured within his hands' reach. His hands shot out at the fish and once again, managed to grab nothing but water. It happened two more times, each time ending up with Ichigo getting more water on himself. The wind tore at him, making him feel as if there were ice covering his bones.

He involuntarily shivered and exclaimed, "What does it take to get a fish?"

Suddenly, his foot slipped and he plunged into the icy waters. It paralyzed him for half a second, and a random memory appeared in his head.

"You should be able to breathe," whispered the memory.

"Hell no," Ichigo shot back in his head.

He regained his footing. He used his arms and awkwardly swam back to the surface. His head pierced into the air, and instantly a full body shiver overtook him. He pushed past the numbing feeling. Ichigo clambered out of the river, feeling the stinging cold jab at every inch of his body. Water dripped from his orange hair like frozen ice cubes sliding down his back. He saw the sky growing darker, and the shivers shook his body harder. Every movement was clumsy and his teeth chattered away. The wind blew harder, and he huddled in on himself like a small, tangerine duckling.

There was a wriggling movement in his shirt. Ichigo instantly pried it away and forced whatever it was to flop out. He blinked. It was a single fish. It bounced on the grass like a twitching hare. All of a sudden, him falling into the water didn't seem that bad. He got a fish, after all! He waited a few moments, shivering the entire time, and the fish finally stopped moving.

The frozen teen bent down and picked it up. He moved away from the river, and set the lifeless fish onto the rock next to his footwear. Ichigo clutched his kosode closer to him in a useless attempt to get warmer. _I'm going to have to get a fire fast, or I'll freeze to death_, he mulled.

Ichigo gathered pieces of bark, grass, and wood. He was drier than before, but the numbness had worsened. Ichigo distantly thought he was staying alive out of sheer will at that point. His mind was muddled with the cold, and he felt as if he was going on instinct and automatic responses to do everything. A stick found its way into Ichigo's hand, and he felt himself spinning it on the pile of wood.

"Matches usually help," a quiet voice suggested.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you guys so much for reviewing! I really love each and every one of them! Also, I've been politely informed that fish don't actually die that quickly out of the water. Oops. I don't have excuse for that, apart from the fact that I'm lazy and have been misinformed. Anyway, quick warning, the chapters will get longer and longer as they go on.  
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><p>Ichigo startled. A man with long, white-blond hair stood before him. He was dressed in a pristine, white uniform. <em>The man from the morning<em>, Ichigo dimly recognized. The man pulled out a box of matches, took one out, swiped it on the patch, and threw it on the pile of sticks. Sparks flew inside the pile of wood, and, instantly, it became a warming, glowing ball of fire.

"Who are you?" Ichigo asked while he scooted closer to the warmth.

"I am Jugram Haschwalth Grandmaster of the Sternritter. I have come on the behalf of His Majesty to offer you a place in the Wandenreich," he stated.

Ichigo blinked.

"What?"

"We are a group of Quincy dedicated to keeping the peace and balance in all of the worlds. His Majesty has deemed you, Kurosaki Ichigo, valuable in our peacekeeping and has requested you in our numbers, for a war is highly immediate," Haschwalth explained.

Ichigo's mind drifted to a dark haired boy upon the mention of "Quincy". He saw raining light and flashes of pure white. Ichigo frowned.

"But I'm not a Quincy."

"I see. You do not know the truth of your own mother," Haschwalth spoke.

Ichigo's eyes widened. Although his memories were blurry at best, the image of a bright and beautiful strawberry blonde haired mother was as clear as day. He thought of a brilliant smile that melted his worries and troubles. Suddenly, the memory turned bloody with droplets of rain crashing down on his face. Ichigo instinctively threw out the memory and focused on the thought of him being a Quincy. Unlike the thought of him being a shinigami, the idea of him being a white garbed archer was absolutely ridiculous.

"Whether you are a Quincy or not, it does not matter. You possess great potential for growth, so any area you lack expertise in can by made up with training. What is your answer? Do you want to help protect the world?"

Ichigo recalled the events of the morning where Zangetsu had been arguing with Haschwalth. He frowned. He wanted to accept, to protect the world, but something in him told him not to. The way Zangetsu hadn't even allowed the Grandmaster to talk to him was setting off alarms. He mentally sighed.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm not interested," Ichigo answered and turned back toward the fire, feeling the warmth melt through the ice that had invisibly set in around him.

Haschwalth allowed a small crease to appear between his eyebrows.

"May I inquire as to why?"

"I don't want to join the Wandenreich, and I'm fine the way I am right now," Ichigo lamely replied.

"Very well. Remember, your expertise is incredibly valued within our ranks. If your mind ever changes, you can contact me through this card, here," Haschwalth said while taking out a blank, white card, "To contact the Wandenreich, push some of your Reiryoku into the card and draw a cross."

Hashwalth held out the card and drew a single cross on it. The white card suddenly lighted up as soft, baby blue light danced across the card. It formed into a single cross, and then faded a few seconds later. The Quincy turned to leave.

"If you are heading to Seireitei, it is over there."

He pointed across the river. Ichigo peered into the darkening horizon, as if just squinting will be able to enable him to see Seireitei. _Shinigami live there_, his mind helpfully told him. Shinigami flashed through his head again, but he shook it off. He looked back to where Haschwalth had been. The man was gone, a path of shadows in his wake.

Kurosaki examined the card. It wasn't remarkable, and he pondered whether or not he should've accepted Haschwalth's offer, consequences be darned. He wondered if he'll ever see the Quincy again. His stomach growled. Remembering he still had to eat, Kurosaki slipped the card within his robes seeing as there was not a single pocket was on his clothing. Ichigo unsheathed Zangetsu and sliced off the unwanted bits on the fish. _I wonder if Zangetsu cares I just used him as a kitchen knife_, Ichigo thought curiously. He cooked the fish over the fire, and began to eat it.

It was slightly burnt, a slight bitter taste mixed in with the almost tasteless meat, but it was bearable and hot. However, the entire time his mind raced with thoughts about the mythical Quincy. He had a nagging suspicion that there weren't supposed to be any, yet there was an entire army of them. A frown unconsciously furrowed itself onto his face. He wondered about the war that was imminent.

The teen shook himself from his thoughts. After eating the one fish, he felt strangely full. His shihakusho was completely dry, and the sky had pulled in its starry curtains. Ichigo yawned. Quickly, he lied down on the cold ground, doing his best to keep himself wrapped up in a bundle of warmth. His eyes closed, the image of a fire still burning in his mind, calming his whirling thoughts.

* * *

><p>Ichigo groggily opened his eyes. A single thought wormed its way into his brain. Immediately, he stomped out the thought and cleared his head. His hands drifted to his sheath, checking if Tensa was still resting. Yup, the blade was still securely tied to his belt. The thought from before came back, and Ichigo threw it to the back of his head. <em>There's absolutely no one out here<em>, he thought. He wiped a hand down his face in an attempt to clear away some of the sleepiness he felt.

All that was left from the fire was a charred mess. He looked at the area beyond the river and realized the reason why he woke. The sun had came up and was currently warming up the rest of Soul Society. It was also blinding him. Ichigo, feeling quite irritated, rolled around so that his back was to the sun. This caused something else to ruin his sleep. While he liked being warm, being hot on _only his back _was infuriating. He couldn't do anything to change _that_.

With a growl, he got up and stretched, feeling all of his bones crack. He looked across the river again. According to Haschwalth, Seireitei was somewhere beyond the horizon. Shrugging off thoughts of the Quincy, Ichigo decided to visit Seireitei. _I can feel a lot of memories originating from there_, Ichigo thought.

Time passed slowly. There were other villages, but Ichigo didn't want to go there. He was honestly surprised there hadn't been a hollow attack yet. Even he knew his Reiryoku was sluggishly returning. He idly shoved his hands into his pockets, that is, until all they landed in was a pocket of air. His scowl deepened.

After a long time of walking, Ichigo noticed the sun was, yet again, painting the sky with beautiful hues of orange and yellow. By that time, his stomach was starting to demand for food with low rumbles. Ichigo started looking left and right for signs of a river, or any type of edible animal, really.

"Where was the last river anyway?" contemplated Ichigo.

The forest had reappeared a while back, and now Ichigo was painstakingly avoiding the thick underbrush to get to the other side. He racked his memory as he walked, searching for the elusive stream of glittering dinner. His eyes widened as he found it.

"Damn it!" he swore.

The last river was the river he had crossed over to get to Seireitei! And he was not going to go back just for fish no matter what his stomach wants. He huffed slightly. Ichigo squinted his eyes, trying to see Seireitei in the distance, however, his eyes could only see the thick tree trunks obscuring his view. It didn't help when the only light available were thin slits of sunlight that had pierced through the canopy.

"Where the hell am I?" Ichigo asked the tree tops.

He imagined the trees' reply, "Heaven. You're not in Hell, you're in heaven dumbass."

"Whatever. Are we even going in the right direction?"

Again, the trees replied in his imagination, "I asked the sun, and it says yes."

"Great. How far are we from Seireitei, then, smartass?"

Ichigo was about to formulate the trees' response before suddenly realizing he was having a conversation with no one but himself. He wished Tensa was around. He'd been talking to the air for awhile now and was starting to worry about his sanity. His stomach growled again.

"Shut up!"

Finally, the sky grew dark, and Kurosaki was forced to retire for the night. Without the help of a mysterious Quincy, Ichigo had to settle in for only stars and moon to light his way, as if he had anywhere else to go or be. He lay on the ground, eyebrows furrowed, and tried to sleep. The night was quiet, save for the soft chirping of crickets and low, unsteady breathing of the orange haired teen.

He got up after several attempts to fall asleep. His stomach wouldn't stop bothering him, and his mind kept flipping through questions and thoughts about everything from the Quincy, to shinigami, to the state of Zangetsu. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. The moon dimly lighted up the forest, casting long shadows onto the uneven ground.

Feeling a sudden urge to be somewhere up high, Ichigo evaluated several trees and decided on the tallest one. The bark was chilly and rough, and there were constantly leaves and branches scraping the side of his face. They came in like ninjas in the dark leaving little lines as they departed. He ignored all of the minor discomforts and continued to scamper up to the top.

_ The moon is really bright tonight_, Ichigo realized as he perched on the tallest branch. He tested his weight on the other branches, and upon finding one that would support him, he lay on them. He dimly registered the leaves digging in his back. The sight of the shining stars standing out against the pure darkness of the sky soothed him. He breathed out. Wind passed over the leaves, creating a melody consisting of gentle rustles. Before he knew it, Ichigo's eyes closed, and he fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Sizzling reached the sleeping boy's ears. The recognizable smell of fish wafted up and tickled his nose. His mouth watered slightly, as if waiting for the fish to be gracefully dropped inside his mouth. The boy opened his eyes to find the bright sun crawling up toward the sky.

_ Who's cooking down there? _Ichigo stretched lightly, and climbed down. He landed quietly on the grass and followed the scent trail. Two steps in, he found a small, but large enough to not accidentally set the forest on fire, clearing with a small fire in the middle. Sitting around the fire was a white clothed figure. _Zangetsu's back_, Ichigo thought happily. As if sensing his loud thoughts, Zangetsu turned and faced Ichigo, sizzling fish-on-a-stick in both hands.

"Good morning, Ichigo," he greeted.

"Welcome back, Zangetsu," he greeted back.

A tick formed in his eyebrow at the improper use of his name.

"It's 'Tensa Zangetsu', not 'Zangetsu'."

"Whatever you say, Zangetsu."

Ichigo grinned and took the offered fish.

"Where'd you get this fish? The last river was a long times away."

Zangetsu took a bite out of his own fish.

"Shunpo and Sonido generally reduces travel time," Zangetsu deadpanned.

Ichigo scowled. He knew what both of them were, and he also knew he was currently incapable of doing either one. He frowned. For some reason, he just _knew _he was _currently _incapable of performing them, but he felt that later on, he _will _be able to do both. _Maybe since I'm not a shinigami right now and currently gaining Reiryoku every day_, Ichigo contemplated. Eh. He mentally shrugged. The answer will come to him later.

"Did anything happen while I was away?" asked Tensa.

Ichigo's first thought was of Haschwalth, but he didn't want to reveal that.

Instead he disclosed, "I fell into a river."

Tensa's face showed a single word. Amusement. Ichigo took a bite out of the roasted fish and suddenly thought of something.

"Wait, how did you get a fish? How did you get two fish?" Ichigo asked.

Zangetsu smiled mysteriously and lifted up his sword form.

"How did you not get a fish?"

Ichigo turned his head in slight embarrassment and allowed the scowl on his face deepen.

"Fish are slippery and fast," Ichigo muttered.

"Did anything else happen?"

Ichigo looked at Zangetsu. For some reason, he couldn't find it within himself to lie.

"Haschwalth, that Quincy from that morning, visited."

"What?" Zangetsu asked, voice full of surprise and ravaging anger. "Did you accept?"

"No."

"Did you... want to accept?"

"No," Ichigo said quickly.

Tensa looked away, an emotion that Ichigo couldn't decipher on his face. Darn, he didn't know what to say to cheer Tensa up.

Thankfully, Zangetsu changed the subject... sort of, "What else did he say?"

The image of his mother popped into his mind.

"He said something about 'the truth about my own mother'," Ichigo said.

The Zanpakuto spirit's eyes flashed in alarm.

Ichigo continued, "Zangetsu. I'm not going to ask. You have your reasons, and so I'll wait. I'll wait until you're ready to tell me. You don't have to say a thing until that, Tensa."

The orange head smiled softly at the Zanpakuto spirit. Tensa smiled back, remembering how mature his wielder had gotten. Soon, they finished eating, and set off once more toward Seireitei. The walk was much more pleasant with Tensa Zangetsu around, Ichigo realized. The comforting presence by his side made the trip much more bearable; however, Zangetsu wasn't one to talk, so the silence would stretch out into several hours. It continued like that for four days. At the end of four days, Zangetsu had to de-manifest and conserve energy, and again, Ichigo was left with nothing but a daito to remind him of Tensa.

Kurosaki trudged through the woods, stomach growling. Before, he could eat only once during a day, and he's be fine and filled. Now, however, he had to eat twice a day to satisfy his annoying stomach.

"How come there aren't ever any animals in this place besides fish?" he angrily muttered to himself.

Although Zangetsu had shown him how to fish with a Zanpakuto, Ichigo had still managed to miss the fish every time. Added with the fact that every time he came across a river, the fish quickly swam away, as if sensing his hunger. He peered through the canopy. The sun was beginning to set, and Ichigo didn't want to fall in a river in hopes that a fish would conveniently swim into his shihakusho. His stomach rumbled in disagreement.

Coming across a clearing, Ichigo sighed. There was a river ahead, for he could hear it rushing across rocks. He took off his foot wear and rolled up his hakama like the first time he'd done it. He threw them against some rock in the clearing and headed toward the river. He unsheathed Zangetsu and perched on a rock. He waited.

An unsuspecting fish swam out in front of him. He lifted his hand up, and in one swift motion, stabbed the fish. At least, he thought he did. When the water cleared itself of ripples, Ichigo saw the bright blue fish swimming away out of the corner of his eye. A trail of red poured from its side like misty breath in the winter. Darn it. He withdrew Zangetsu from the current.

It continued for several tense minutes. Ichigo would stab his Zanpakuto into the water, and the fish would get away. The sun steadily climbed down the sky, watching eagerly to see if Ichigo would get a fish, or starve the night. Finally, Ichigo had enough.

"Whatever. One night without food isn't that bad," he declared while sheathing Zangetsu.

He started to go back toward the clearing, but a delicious smell stopped him. It was meaty, and had the slight tint of green onions. He sniffed the air. It was the unmistakable smell of _ramen_. There was even the smell of a boiled egg! What the hell? He walked into the clearing, looking around the noodles and its owner. There! Sitting across from Ichigo's pile of clothes was a man with unruly brown hair dressed in a completely white uniform of some sort. He instinctively unsheathed Zangetsu. His muscles tensed as the man looked over at Ichigo. A single lock of hair dripped down onto his face.

"Ah, hello, Kurosaki," the man greeted.

Ichigo stood there, jaw agape. A flood of memories told him the man was _Aizen_, and he was very, _very _bad. He remembered Tensa Zangetsu being stopped with a single finger, the utter terror and hopelessness from an inability to protect, _him _turning into a monstrous creature with nothing but darkness for a face, a silent victory, and excruciating pain.

"You realize it's not nice to stare, Kurosaki," his baritone voice chided.

"What are you doing here?" Ichigo finally said.

Aizen tutted, "Can't a man enjoy the serenity of the forest? As you have doubtlessly noticed, it's rather quiet and peaceful here. Please, sit down and sheathe your Zanpakuto. I didn't come here to fight."

Ichigo didn't believe him for one moment, but he warily sat across from Aizen, Zangetsu still in hand. He noted that Aizen's Zanpakuto was still sheathed, and it genuinely looked like Aizen didn't come out to fight. His posture was relaxed, and it looked like he was clearly enjoying the peace.

"Would you like some?" Aizen asked, gesturing to the bowl.

"No."

"Suit yourself."

Ichigo watched hungrily as Aizen dug into the bowl of ramen. His stomach growled, and Ichigo tried his best to stifle the sound.

"Hey," Ichigo said.

Aizen made no indication that he heard the hybrid.

"Hey," Ichigo said more forcefully.

Again, Aizen kept on eating.

"I said 'hey'! What are you doing here? Why are you eating ramen here?" Ichigo demanded.

Aizen sighed and stopped eating.

"I told you already. I was strolling in the forest and came across this wonderful clearing. It's just a coincidence you were here before I was. As for the ramen, if you aren't going to eat it, then I'm going to. I can't let good ramen go stale, now can I?"

Ichigo blinked.

"And it's just a coincidence you had ramen with you?"

"Give it a rest, Kurosaki. I like ramen."

"If you're going to carry it around just 'cause you like it, then I'm going to carry around chocolate with me."

"You like chocolate? How cute."

"Don't try and change the subject."

"I have another bowl of ramen here, if you would like some, Kurosaki."

"No."

"I can hear your stomach growling from here. Here, take it."

Ichigo warily watched the bowl of ramen, as if it would explode at anytime and destroy the entire forest. His stomach growled again, and he grudgingly took it. Aizen whipped out a second pair of chopsticks from the air and handed it to Ichigo. He took them, and was about to dig into the steaming bowl of noodles and pork when a thought burst into his mind.

"How do I know it's not poisoned?" Ichigo asked.

Aizen sighed. He took Ichigo's bowl of ramen, dumped a few noodles into his own bowl, gave the bowl back, and ate the noodles left in his bowl. Aizen raised an eyebrow as if to say, happy? Ichigo grunted and carefully dug into his bowl. The first bite was hot, but he didn't care. After days of nothing but fish, it was delicious. The noodles were smooth and lightly salted with soy sauce. Ichigo tried to slow down his eating, so as to not give off the impression that he was actually enjoying it. The crisp green onions lightened the noodles, and the pork was just the right amount of chewy.

"The trick of poisoning someone through food is poisoning their utensils, not the food itself," Aizen suddenly remarked.

Ichigo choked on a noodle.

"What the fuck?" he sputtered while coughing up bits of food. "You don't just say that _while people are eating their food_!"

Ichigo glared at Aizen. Aizen stared innocently back, only breaking the stare to eat more of his own noodles.

"Obviously, I didn't poison your chopsticks. I was just telling you that so you would be more careful next time and not ask stupid questions," drawled Aizen.

Ichigo scowled and resumed eating. He made a mental note to never accept food from Aizen again. The air was filled with slurping sounds and the clink of chopsticks against the ceramic bowls. Despite his earlier intentions to eat slowly, the teen finished the ramen quickly, a few seconds after Aizen had finished his. Ichigo wiped his mouth on his sleeve and handed the bowl back to Aizen, who stashed it behind him.

"Now that we've finished eating, I can get down to business," Aizen said ominously. "How much do you know about the Quincy? I should be more specific; how much do you know about your own parents?"

Shock splattered across his face. His eyes were wide and his mouth was half open.

Finally, he regained his senses and bit out, "That's none of your business."

It really wasn't. It was a matter between him, Tensa, and his dad, not Aizen "I-Pretend-To-Poison-Your-Chopsticks" Sosuke. He was going to wait until one of the two were ready to tell him, and he was definitely not going to have it be revealed by a third party. That wasn't fair to either of them.

"If do not wish to hear the truth, that is fine by me," he said pleasantly. "On to my next question. How much do you remember?"

_ Darn it, why does he know everything? _Ichigo's scowl deepened.

"How do you know about that?" he deflected.

"There is a magnitude of knowledge you can gain when no one realizes you are there, so, how is your memory coming along?"

"Fine."

Aizen stood up and unsheathed his Zanpakuto. Ichigo tensed. His hand automatically moved to the hilt of Zangetsu, ready to pull it out at a moment's notice.

"Come, let's spar. I wish to see how much you remember."

Ichigo internally debated whether or not he should spar with the man. There was nothing else to do, really, and he couldn't say he wasn't grateful for the food. He unsheathed Zangetsu and faced Aizen. A look of surprise and curiosity flashed across Aizen's face before it was replaced by a confident smirk. Two seconds passed without anything happening. Then, Ichigo struck. His strike at Aizen's chest was blocked with a parry, and he zipped to the side to avoid an attack. He blocked an attack and countered it. With frightening speed, his counter was blocked and countered. Ichigo moved to the side. Their swords clashed in the forest, the only sound was the metallic clang and breathing.

Ichigo bounced back. Aizen stood, relaxed on the opposite side. This time, Aizen broke the stand still. He flew at Ichigo. Ichigo raised his to block the strike at his chest. Ichigo raised his other hand to support the weight Aizen was pushing down at him. Suddenly, Aizen flashed away. Ichigo felt a breeze, and he instinctively turned to block a heavy strike at his back. Ichigo flew back again.

Without warning, Aizen intoned, "Bakudo #4, Hainawa,"

Light burst out of his hand. Long ropes flew out and Ichigo's eyes widened as they encircled him. They tightened around him, the strands of blinding yellow immobilizing him. Ichigo struggled against them, loosening them little by little, but it wasn't fast enough. Aizen raised his Zanpakuto horizontally.

"Hado #32, Okasen."

Gold energy gathered at the center of his Zanpakuto. Within seconds, it spread out and fired off, sending clouds of dust in its wake. Ichigo wasted no time. He twisted to the right and squeezed his eyes shut. It burned like fire. He felt it spreading across his left arm and searing through to his back. He grunted. Soon, it dispersed, along with the Bakudo holding him up.

He fell on the ground. The teen pushed himself back up to a standing position. Pain flared. He ignored it, and squinted against the dust that threatened to obscure his vision. He gripped Tensa Zangetsu tightly, waiting for the slightest bit of movement. The dust returned to the ground, revealing Aizen looking at Ichigo with an amused face.

"What's so funny, cheater?" Ichigo spat.

"Cheating? There was nothing against using Kido," the brunette pointed out.

Aizen sheathed his katana. Ichigo copied him, and tried not to wince as he moved his arm. He twisted around to look at the damage but only succeeded in magnifying the pain. He hissed softly. Aizen walked over to him, and Ichigo instantly stepped back.

"Here, let me heal that."

Aizen raised a hand glowing with soft, green healing Kido. He traced it over the injuries. Ichigo warily watched. The pain vanished, leaving behind and crisp, cold feel. Tension seeped out, and he relaxed.

"I could teach you Kido," Aizen suddenly said.

"But I'm not a shinigami."

At this, a small crease appeared between Aizen's eyebrows.

"It doesn't matter. Anyone with a hint of Reiryoku can learn Kido. Would you like to learn Kido?"

Ichigo tested the mobility of his arm. He looked at Aizen. His offer looked genuine. The sun had gone down, and Ichigo could still sense how genuine and nice Aizen was being.

"Why? Why are you being so friendly? Why are you doing this?"

Aizen paused. He seemed to mull it over in his head before giving out an answer.

"As you have seen, the application of Kido is extremely useful in trapping your opponent and gaining the upper hand. As for being friendly, why can't I be friendly to someone who would like some friendliness?"

Ichigo stared. He thought over his words in his head, trying to make sense of them.

"Are you saying I'm _lonely_?" Ichigo demanded.

"Why else would you be here, in the middle of a forest, without a soul in sight for tens of kilometers away?"

Ichigo glared at him, eyes defiant and angry, hiding a wall of loneliness, because yes, damn it, he longed for the company of another, and now Aizen had gone up and dug up the feeling from the dark corners of his mind. He had been keeping it repressed, the pang of nothingness when Tensa had been forced to rest for a few days. He remembered when Haschwalth had arrived with an offer and the jubilant feeling that he wouldn't have to spend much of that day spent arguing with the sky.

Ichigo knew, deep down he was a social creature. Hell, humans were a social creature. A thought came to him. His mind flashed back to a single memory where Tensa Zangetsu had clashed against the Zanpakuto that only held solitude. He remembered the overwhelming resignation flowing from the blade, a deep acceptance that the longing for another to not admire, but to understand would never be fulfilled.

"I'm not lonely. You're the one who's lonely," Ichigo accused, eyes narrowing.

Aizen's eyes narrowed as well.

"Shifting the accusation onto another is a poor defense."

"Not unless it's true."

Suddenly, Ichigo had a startling revelation. At the same time, Aizen sighed deeply, as if mentally preparing himself for what he was going to say.

"I admit, Kurosaki, that I specifically sought you out tonight," he began.

Ichigo mentally scoffed. As if he had really believed Aizen had wandered into the forest for peace and quiet.

"I wanted to see how fast you were regaining your Reiryoku. As I have said, there's many things you can do when people don't know you are there, and one of them includes being alone. I suppose I wanted an excuse to have someone to talk to, an equal of sorts," Aizen said, a hint of nervousness and embarrassment leaking into his voice.

Ichigo pondered his words. While his memory wasn't perfect, he knew the man in front of him was more than capable of slaughtering hundreds of shinigami with a simple swipe of his sword.

"I guess Kido is useful, but you can't murder other people," Ichigo said, and then added, "or cause other people's deaths."

There was an emotion on Aizen's face that Ichigo couldn't decipher.

"Alright. It's getting late, so I should leave you to your sleep. Don't worry about me not finding you, for not everyone has the sensing abilities of a rock."

"Okay, see you- wait, you didn't- hey! I don't have the sensing abilities of a-"

Before Ichigo finished his protesting, Aizen disappeared in a flit of Shunpo. Ichigo scowled. His frown momentarily ceased as he thought of having company for the next day. The hybrid sighed into the chilly night air, and lay on the ground, retiring for the night. He ran a hand over Zangetsu, and fell asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thank you for reviewing! I'll try my best to get caught up to them and reply to any that needs replying! Also, there'll be silly snippets of events/dialogue from the fullbringer arc like the one you read today. Heh.**


	6. Chapter 6

True to his word, Aizen managed to find Ichigo. Ichigo had been diligently heading toward Seireitei when he felt the breeze shift. Then, he heard the quiet padding that signaled the use of shunpo, and Ichigo moved to the side to avoid a heavy kick to his head. He looked back, and was unsurprised to find Aizen standing, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"What was that about?" Ichigo demanded.

"Just testing your reflexes," he replied nonchalantly.

Ichigo growled, and remembered dodging flying kicks to his head from his dad before he was born. He didn't need _another _reason to be on guard all night and day.

"Before we begin Kido lesson number one, seal your Reiatsu. Having control over your own Reiatsu is key to perfecting Kido, so I need to see how much we need to work on that," Aizen instructed.

Ichigo shrugged. Like Aizen, he was curious to his own abilities with Kido. He concentrated on his own Reiatsu. He could feel it, but he couldn't direct it. Ichigo mentally forced his Reiatsu inside. _Move! Stop leaking out! Go inside! Move! _His eyebrows scrunched. After several unsuccessful tries, he stopped.

Aizen didn't look surprised as he commented, "I can feel a slight difference."

Ichigo grumbled, "Because you were looking for differences."

Aizen pretended not to hear him.

"Looks like we're going to have to complete Kido lesson number zero before going to one. To control your Reiatsu, close your eyes and picture your Reiatsu."

Ichigo closed his eyes. He mentally drew himself surrounded by a soft blue light of chaos.

"Next, slowly direct it to the center of your chest. Picturing the Reiatsu doing so may help."

Ichigo pictured the blue glow stuffing itself in his crude drawing while trying to do it with his real Reiatsu. Nothing happened. The mental picture continued to stuff itself, but the real thing continued to disperse into the air.

"Kurosaki, you're not directing it. Can you feel your Reiatsu?"

"Yes."

"Move it back, as you would with an arm or a leg."

"It's not working."

Ichigo opened his eyes.

"I can feel it, but I can't just _move _it! It's not like an arm or a leg, I can't do anything with it," Ichigo said angrily.

Aizen stared at him strangely.

"How does your Getsuga Tensho work?"

Ichigo blinked at the sudden question.

"I don't know."

Now it was Aizen's turn to blink.

"Perhaps we should try some Kido to see if you are capable of doing it despite the lack of Reiatsu control," Aizen mused. "Try Hado #31, Shakkaho. Would you like the incantation?"

Ichigo nodded, eager to see how his Kido would turn out.

"'Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south'."

Ichigo held his hand out, and recited the incantation. He felt power surging through his arm, and held his breath.

"Hado #31, Shakkaho!"

A fiery ball of light exploded from his palm. Dust flew into the air, obscuring his vision. He felt pain crawl across his arm, and he dropped it to his side. He coughed while he breathed in the dust. After several minutes of coughing, the dust cleared, and Ichigo saw Aizen on the outer edge, completely dust free. The teen scowled.

"Interesting. You are able to somewhat perform Kido after all. It looks like the spell needs some refinement and control before it can be executed properly," Aizen noted curiously.

Ichigo wiped soot off his eyes. The taller man suddenly noticed the burns on Ichigo's right arm.

"It looks like a perfect time to see if you can do a healing Kido."

Ichigo shook his head.

"It's not going to work. It's just going to explode"

"Don't be worried. Healing Kido can't explode. At most it'll do nothing," Aizen paused in thought. "Healing Kido uses Reiatsu to accelerate healing through regeneration of lost Reiatsu and direct it to speed up the healing process. With your poor control, it will likely do nothing."

"What?" Ichigo asked stupidly.

The brown haired man sighed. He walked over to Ichigo, hands glowing with healing light. New skin replaced the red, irritated skin. When it was done, the orange head rubbed the new skin.

"Now, I'm curious to what happens if you try to perform a Bakudo. Try Bakudo #1, Sai on me," Aizen commanded.

He told Ichigo the incantation, and Ichigo repeated it while holding out two fingers in front of Aizen.

"Bakudo #1, Sai!"

This time, Ichigo felt absolutely no energy flow across his arm. The lack of Aizen's arms moving meant that either his spell didn't work, or Aizen was too strong to be held by a simple Bakudo.

"I didn't feel anything," Aizen hummed. "Let's try a shielding Bakudo, #8, Seki. I'm not going to give you an incantation this time because there won't be enough time to recite it all. Try to block my attack with the Kido."

Aizen unsheathed his Zanpakuto in a single, fluid grace. Ichigo's fingers twitched toward his own sword, but he quashed the urge. Suddenly, Aizen was gone. Ichigo's eyes sharpened. He heard footsteps, and instinctually ducked. He felt the breeze of a blade swipe over his head.

Aizen scolded, "I thought I told you to block my attack."

As Ichigo started to reply, he saw a foot shoot out at his chest. He jumped to the side, only to find a blade dangerously close to his head. Ichigo brought up his arm to deflect it.

"Bakudo #8, Seki!"

A thin, blue shield stretched out from his arm. The sword hit the shield, and instantly, it exploded into tiny fragments. The shards scratched and burned his skin before exploding again, causing more burns to appear on his arm. Ichigo waved his arm in the air in an effort to cool it off. Aizen sheathed his katana and looked extremely fascinated by the events.

"What?" Ichigo snapped as he tested the sensitivity of the skin.

"Bakudo isn't supposed to explode when it isn't executed properly. I've never seen it do that. Instead, it's supposed to dissolve into the air."

Aizen healed Ichigo's arm with a quick swipe of his hand. He looked at where the Bakudo had been. The brunette shook his head.

"I believe it is impossible for you to learn Kido until your Reiatsu awakens and you learn of some _other _things," Aizen said mysteriously, and then suggested, "Instead of teaching you Kido, I think Hakuda and Zanjutsu would better fill up the time."

Ichigo didn't know what Aizen meant by his Reiatsu awakening, and by the tone of the older man's voice, he was unlikely to get an explanation. He simply settled for crossing his arms.

"Fine."

Glancing up at the darkening sky, Aizen said, "It looks like the lesson will end now. I'll see you tomorrow."

Without a sound, Aizen left the area. Ichigo frowned after him. He had hoped to learn Kido, but he had gotten several burns and knowledge that he might not even be able to perform Kido. Ichigo growled to himself, and walked toward Seireitei despite the orange hues that overtook the skies. He wondered how Aizen felt by the turn of events, and shrugged to himself. The ex-captain probably knew what was going to happen. Probably just wanted to see Ichigo blow himself up, he concluded. Suddenly, a low rumble from his stomach signaled the need to eat once again.

"Damn it!"


	7. Chapter 7

Yeah, I'm really bad at responding to reviews. ^^;; Sorry! Hopefully this next chapter makes up for the lateness

Steel clashed against steel. Finally, Aizen was going to fight him on equal grounds. No Shunpo, no Kido, and no tricks of any kind. Ichigo dodged to the left as his blade came crashing down. He blocked a strike, and kicked at his legs. Aizen stepped back. Ichigo charged. Aizen easily blocked the strike. Ichigo internally smirked. Purposely leaving his left unguarded, Ichigo pushed against Aizen's Zanpakuto and sidestepped to the right. Aizen struck his side. Ichigo "stumbled". He easily blocked the strike at his chest, but suddenly, his daito sharply twisted and was sent flying through the air.

Ichigo instantly flew back just in time to miss a slice that would've cut his head off. Without warning, the hilt of his sword slammed into his chest, knocking the wind out of him. Ichigo quickly lost his footing. He felt a slice fly across his shoulder. Gritting his teeth, Ichigo crashed unceremoniously to the ground. He prepared to get back up when a cold, blade on the base of his neck forced him to stop.

"Looks like I win, Ichigo-kun," Aizen teased.

The blade retracted, and Ichigo was able to get back up.

"Don't call me that," Ichigo grumbled.

"Alright, Ichigo_-chan_," Aizen said cheekily.

He noted Ichigo's scowl deepening and chuckled softly to himself. Ichigo picked Zangetsu off the ground, and Aizen grew serious.

"Although you sometimes think before attacking, most of your attacks are direct, obvious, and full of power. An opponent can easily see an attack coming, and it is mostly your speed that keeps them from dodging it; however, at your current level, your speed is lacking, and thus, your form is lacking.

"You must be able to predict an opponent's movements before they move. Try observing more instead of charging head on, furthermore, your defense is incredibly lacking. Whenever you attack, a huge opening is left due to you pushing all of your power into an attack. Try to vary the amount of power used on attacks, and focus on hardening your defenses," Aizen pointed out helpfully.

Ichigo tilted his head to the side as he listened. He weighed Tensa in his hand. Inwardly, he knew it was his terrifying speed and overwhelming strength that kept him alive throughout his entire life. Now that he was on slightly equal grounds with Aizen, he knew he had to improve before it was too late.

"Sheathe your Zanpakuto. I want to test your hand-to-hand skills now. No using Reiatsu. I want to see your base skills."

Ichigo nodded and did as he was told. It felt like it had been a long time since he'd sparred without a weapon, and he was excited to do so, especially against an opponent that could, and would, give him a run for his money.

They spread out, and dropped into a fighting stance. Without wasting any time, Aizen flew at Ichigo. Ichigo quickly blocked several punches to his head. He huffed as the strikes didn't stop. A pause. Ichigo kicked at Aizen. His foot was grabbed, and he was flung into the air. Ichigo twisted himself out, and landed neatly on the ground. A hand flew out, and he instinctively ducked. Ichigo countered the arm with a swift hit and swept it to the side. He bounced up. Suddenly, Aizen's other hand flew at his side. Ichigo moved to block it. His eyes widened as he felt Reiatsu pulsing through the hit.

Instantly, he flew across the ground. He swept up clouds of dust and landed on his side. The air changed. Ichigo threw himself to the right. He pushed himself off the ground, and noted with distaste, the new indent in the ground. Aizen stood off to the side.

"Good reflexes."

"Thanks. Nice ground destroying," Ichigo retorted. "When were you going to tell me you were lying about the 'no using Reiatsu' rule?"

"I was going to let you figure it out yourself, actually."

Ichigo glowered. This time, he restarted the fight. He attacked with a barrage of punches and kicks. Aizen blocked each one, arms blurring. Ichigo blocked as Aizen switched onto offense. Each block felt like he was hitting a rock, Ichigo noted. He strengthened his defense with Reiatsu. Aizen started to use more Reiatsu in his attacks, and Ichigo was quickly forced to go on the defensive. A block at his left. Right. Middle. Left, middle, left. Right! His forehead glistened with sweat as he fought to keep up with the speed. The aching of his arms dimmed down as Reiatsu continuously poured into them.

Aizen suddenly switched tactics. He dashed to the side, and flew at Ichigo's unprotected back. The teen was caught completely unaware. With a simple strike at the square of his back and at the back of his knees, Ichigo was forced to the ground. He tasted the dry, grainy taste of dust for the second time that day. The orange head coughed up dirt. He placed his hands on the ground and prepared to push himself back up only to be pushed back down by a firm foot on the arch of his back.

"You just love rubbing it in my face that I lost, don't you?" Ichigo grunted.

Aizen hummed and lifted his foot, allowing the boy to stand once more. Ichigo brushed dust off his white Shihakusho. _I feel like it's darker than before, but it still looks white. Must be the dust again_, Ichigo thought.

"Ready for one more round?"

Ichigo opened his mouth to reply when his stomach vehemently protested.

"Hungry?" Aizen asked.

Ichigo's cheeks tinted into a rosy pink. The last thing he ate was the bowl of ramen from two days ago. And he was definitely not going to tell the man. It would just lead to further embarrassment. _Stupid fish_, he cursed in his head.

"Here," Aizen threw a rice ball at him. "It's a perfect time to take a break."

Ichigo caught it and began to unwrap it.

"The wrapping's not poisoned, is it?" Ichigo joked.

"Of course not."

Ichigo bit into the rice, savoring the sweet taste of red beans. Little did people know, sekihan was one of his favorite foods. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Aizen unwrap his own rice ball and proceed to eat it in smooth bites.

"How is it?" Aizen asked mysteriously.

"It's my favorite," Ichigo said.

He paused in mid bite. By Aizen's tone, it sounded almost like he had expected his answer. Ichigo's eyes narrowed. He remembered something Aizen had said to him a long (or was it short?) time ago. Fricking Aizen. Although he couldn't change the events of the past, Ichigo was still pissed that Aizen spied, _actually spied_, on him and remembered this tiny tidbit of information! He gulped the rest of the snack down. They rested for a few minutes, allowing the food to digest before moving on.

"You're heading to Seireitei, correct?" Aizen questioned.

Ichigo nodded.

"Before I start teaching you the finer mechanics of Hakuda, we should run for a little bit."

Without waiting for a reply, Aizen took off.

"Stop doing that!" Ichigo yelled and ran after him.

His feet pounded into the ground, shifting up dust and dirt. Aizen was a little ways ahead of him, white coat billowing in the plains. Ichigo pushed himself and quickly caught up to Aizen. The brown haired man glanced back, saw Ichigo, and started running even faster. _A game, huh? _Ichigo smiled under long puffs of breath. Trees suddenly blurred past, signaling the beginning of a forest. He hopped over a fallen log and zipped across the entangled grounds. He caught up to Aizen again. This time, he pushed power into his legs and ran faster than the ex-captain. Giving a mock wave, Ichigo surpassed him.

Less than a second later, a blur of white flashed past him. _Shunpo! _Ichigo grumbled in his head. His legs were beginning to ache. Ichigo ignored it, and pushed himself. His lungs worked overtime and his heart beat madly in his chest. Wind scraped past his ears and tugged at his hair, trying to slow him down. He saw Aizen again, and belatedly noticed he was not _running_, but _standing_. _Why! _Ichigo exclaimed in his head. He forced himself to slow down, not an easy task seeing as he was previously bolting at speeds of very fast.

His feet skidding in the grass, and he jumped just in time to avoid catching his foot on a vine. He stopped, and gripped his knees as he drew in quick, precious gulps of air. If they had been in a cave, the sound of his heavy breathing would've filled the room; however, they were in a forest, and only Ichigo could hear it. His lungs burned, and it felt like they had teamed up with his legs to burn together in a group of aches and exhaustion. Sweat dripped down his head. He felt like he was burning with fire once the wind stopped cooling him off.

Ichigo looked up to see Aizen barely even effected by the run. Butturd. All he showed was the same expression as usual, cool and pleasantly smug.

"I'm going to take a cool down walk," Ichigo announced in-between breaths of air.

Ichigo took five minutes to cool down. When he came back, Aizen was still standing in the same spot. At least, it looked like he hadn't moved for a whole five minutes.

"Welcome back, Kurosaki," Aizen greeted. "I've decided to hold the lesson in the forest because of all the obstacles in it. The key to Hakuda is strengthening all of your attacks and defenses with Reiatsu. The way it is strengthened and projected affects what it will do. Have you seen Shihoin Yoruichi perform Hakuda?"

Shihoin Yoruichi... the name was familiar, but with just a name Ichigo couldn't recall anything associated with them.

"I don't remember Yoruichi-san."

"Ah. Oh well. I'll just show you then."

Aizen walked over to a tree. He held out his fingers in front of it and flicked at the tree, completely splintering a giant hole through its trunk.

"This requires a simple sharpened jolt of Reiatsu through your fingers. Try it."

Kurosaki walked over to a tree. Copying Aizen, he flicked at the bark while sending Reiatsu through his fingertips. Energy seared through the bark, creating only a tiny, needle thin hole instead of the large, gaping hole Aizen had done. Wood splinters flew out of the back, and the bark smoked in the front. The smoke grew in intensity, and within seconds, the bark was set aflame. Ichigo quickly spat into his hand. He launched it at the flames, diminishing some. Forgoing the second step, Ichigo spat onto the remaining fire, and put it out. He wiped off imaginary sweat and sighed to himself.

"I think we'll just spar today. We don't want to burn down the forest now," Aizen remarked.

"Why don't we just get out of the forest?" Ichigo asked, slightly annoyed at yet another jab at his pathetic skill in anything but recklessly charging and sheer brute force.

"The forest is more fun."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. More fun?

"Let's start," Aizen said.

He dropped down to a fighting pose, and Ichigo did the same, not wanting to be caught off guard. Lightning fast strikes assaulted him, and he blocked each one. He jumped back, only to painfully land on the trunk of a tree. Recovering quickly, Ichigo climbed up the tree to take the battle in the skies. He knew it was going to be _fun_, for he'd never fought in such a dense environment before nor fought in the air, watching out for any branches that would be the deciding blow.

Aizen followed him, and he hastily jumped onto another branch to avoid getting a punch in the face. They stared at each other, neither one moving, and silently assessing openings and guards. They flew at each other, meeting in the air. Ichigo blocked a strike at his abdomen. A flurry of strikes descended upon him, and he twisted in the air to avoid them. Aizen stopped and disappeared from his sight. Ichigo's eyes widened.

He snuck a glance behind him and saw the ground rapidly approaching. Forcing himself upright with a single jerk of his body, Ichigo landed semi smoothly on the forest floor. Grass tickled his hands, and he scanned the area for signs of Aizen. Grass crunched. Ichigo flung himself back and brought up both arms to defend himself against another barrage of hits.

A strike slipped past his defenses. It hit him straight on his solar plexus, knocking the wind out of him and flinging him backwards. His back hit the hard trunk of a tree, sending shooting pain throughout his torso like a strike of lightning across the sky. It was as if his back was extra sensitive ever since he came to Rukongai. Little hits to his back now sent him sprawling across the floor.

Ichigo groaned. He knew he had lost that fight and was now taking his time getting back up. He rubbed his back, easing out the pain. Finally, he got up, scowl set on his face. Truthfully, it was fun, having to watch out for the branches and thinking fast in the air exhilarated his senses. The only reason his customary scowl was up and depicting his current foul mood was due to his back plotting against him. It was a weird feeling of knowing there was nothing wrong with his back but feeling like it was cracked and broken. Kind of like stubbing a toe on the end of a table, Ichigo mused.

"Stupid back," he muttered.

Aizen looked thoughtfully at Ichigo.

"It's normal for the areas where a fatal injury had occurred to be extra sensitive when you come to Soul Society. It'll go away in a few weeks or months depending on how severe the injury was," Aizen commented.

"Great," Ichigo muttered sarcastically.

The boy brushed off leaves that had hitched a ride on his grey shihakusho. Two seconds later, they were at it again. There were like blurs in the forest, breaking off branches and rustling the leaves. This time, Ichigo lasted longer. His defenses held better and it enabled him to start his own barrage of strikes. In the end, he still lost. It was an air attack, he had blocked one kick, but the other crashed into his side like a metal pole. Ichigo fell onto the ground like a brick. Aizen gave him a few seconds to regain his bearings, and the two resumed sparring.

Each time they restarted the fight, Ichigo lasted longer and did better, he even managed to get the upper hand in one and bring the fight to a draw. Aizen could see how the teen had managed to achieve so much more than any shinigami in mere months. Ichigo had even began to adapt to Aizen's way of fighting, anticipating a strike there, sneaking past defenses there. It was all in all, interesting and breathtakingly amazing. There was no wonder how Ichigo managed to defeat him, a being beyond that of gods.

Aizen mentally sighed as he dodged a kick to his chest. Now they were both drastically depowered, albeit they were regaining that power every day. When Kurosaki Ichigo's power returned, it was going to be perfect for his plans. He flew back onto the branch of a tree and blocked a powerful kick from Kurosaki. He retaliated with a kick of his own which was quickly dodged by the boy.

The cycle of fighting and dodging continued until both participants were worn down and breathing heavily. The determined look on Ichigo's face slid off to reveal and tired, but content expression. The wind rustled the leaves and carried their heavy breathing through the forest. Everything ached from the strain, from his arms to his feet. Ichigo rubbed the pain out of his hands and looked up at the sky. A rumbling noise alerted Ichigo to his hunger. It didn't go unnoticed by Aizen, either.

"How about I go get us some noodles?" Aizen asked.

Ichigo grunted in approval, and Aizen flash stepped away. Ichigo stretched out the aches and pains in his muscles, taking care to go at the right pace and doing them the right way. He looked at the sky again. It was brilliantly red with little dashes of yellow and a few silhouettes of wispy clouds. Ichigo lay on the floor to get a better view of it. Many thoughts ran through his mind, and he indulged every one of them.

The sky quickly darkened, and Aizen returned with a few steps on the dirt to alert Ichigo that he had arrived. The smell of noodles immediately reached his nose, and he sat up, accepting the steaming bowl of noodles. Aizen gave him a pair of chopsticks, and he began digging in his food, shoving mouthfuls of noodle and pork in his mouth whenever there was an opening. It burned his tongue, but the air was chilly, so he didn't mind. There was a light tint of vinegar in it, complementing perfectly with the salty pork. The noodles added just the right amount of neutral flavor, and Ichigo's stomach stopped rumbling as it digested the delicious food.

"Where'd you get this?" Kurosaki asked, gesturing to the noodles. "I don't remember a noodle shop that made noodles this good."

Aizen took a bite out of his own noodles and answered, "It's from a small noodle shop a little ways from the Shinigami Academy. It's hidden behind the bigger shops, so it might take a little while to find it."

Ichigo pulled up the vague maps he had and tried to find places where it could be.

"I could show you it sometime," Aizen offered.

Ichigo discarded the map and nodded.

"How'd you find it?"

"I stumbled upon it as a recruit. I liked to explore Soul Society to find the best places for things."

Ichigo snorted.

"What else did you find?"

"There was a clearing where there was always dogs around. I can't remember where it was exactly, but it was a long walk from the Academy."

"Dogs?"

"Oh yes. I heard from the other students that there was a clearing where there would always be a couple of dogs hanging around it. I only went there once to see it for myself."

"Not a dog person then? Or was it just too long of a trip?"

"Both. Though I do admit, it might be more of my dislike for dogs than the length."

Ichigo stifled the urge to giggle as he pictured a little Aizen getting knocked over by a dog and getting slobber all over his Academy uniform. He slurped up the rest of his noodles and handed the bowl back to Aizen. The teen yawned, tired from the day's events.

Aizen stood up and said, "I'll be leaving then. Good night, Kurosaki."

"Night."

The only sound was the quiet thumps on the ground that signaled Aizen's departure. The boy yawned again, and lay on the ground, falling asleep within seconds.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Okay, sorry that I didn't clear it up earlier and sorry for the confusion, but this story is entirely GEN. There is no romance anywhere, but as always, you are free to your own interpretation. Anyway, thank you all for the reviews! / I'm still behind in replying sorry! / Enjoy the new chapter!**

* * *

><p>"No fish today?" Ichigo asked Zangetsu as he awoke to the crackling of fire.<p>

"There's no water nearby," he replied.

The orange head sat across from the pale spirit and warmed his hands up in the fire. Although he would have to go hungry, he was secretly glad that they wouldn't be eating more fish. He was starting to dislike fish for some unknown reason. After the sun fully rose from the horizon, the two set off to Seireitei. When noon arrived, Tensa suddenly tensed up. He disappeared from Ichigo's sight, and the next thing he saw was a clash of sparks to his left. Zangetsu stood with his black daito clutched painfully in his hand, expression twisted to one of immense loathing. Aizen stood across from him, Zanpakuto out and blocking the strike. His expression was one of calm curiosity directed at the spirit in front.

"Guys, guys! Stop fighting!" Ichigo called out.

Zangetsu didn't relax his grip. Aizen, however, stepped back and sheathed his katana. He brought up his hands in a universal gesture of "I mean no harm".

"What is the meaning of this?" Zangetsu asked, clearly not quite believing what was happening.

"Uh, we're kind of friends?" Ichigo helplessly replied.

Zangetsu stared.

"We need to talk."

Zangetsu gestured to Ichigo to find a more private area. Ichigo nodded slowly, and the two went deeper in the forest until Aizen could no longer be seen. Kurosaki looked at Zangetsu and found a mask of barely concealed anger, ready to erupt and rip something to shreds. The boy's own face, however, was one of slight embarrassment with his mouth twisted in a sheepish expression.

"Do you remember what he did?" Zangetsu asked, straight to the point.

Ichigo racked his brain. Honestly, the only thing he remembered was a splash of blood, the overwhelming feeling of failure, and finally, a white, sandy field consisting only of a solemn feeling.

Seeing the contemplative look on the boy's face, Zangetsu sighed and explained, "Aizen Sosuke. Ex-Captain of the Gotei 13. Murderer. Tried to kill several of your friends. Tried to kill _you_. And all of that just to sacrifice Karakura Town, your hometown, and _one-hundred thousand _souls _just to kill the Soul King and become god_."

He ran a hand through his white hair. His voice had become melancholy toward the end. He looked at Ichigo, and the boy could see the pain in his eyes.

"You lost your powers due to that one shinigami."

Ichigo breathed out. He rubbed the back of his neck. He remembered. Yet, he also remembered the kindness Aizen showed to him; however, he _knew _one right doesn't change the fact that what Aizen did was inherently _wrong_.

Finally, after a long stretch of pensive silence, Ichigo stated, "I remember now. I won't say I've forgiven him because I don't, but I will say I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. People change, and maybe he decided to."

He paused in thought.

"You know what he said to me a few days ago? He said, 'I suppose I wanted an excuse to have someone to talk to, an equal of sorts' when I asked him why he sought me out."

Ichigo paused again, not exactly sure what he should say.

"Anyhow, his power is low, so it won't take much to beat him again. Even if he hasn't changed for the better, we can easily keep an eye on him."

The teen looked at Zangetsu, who let out a puff of air and agreed, "I suppose so."

Ichigo smiled at the Zanpakuto spirit. They headed back to where Aizen was. Zangetsu didn't soften his glare at the man, and Aizen didn't seem to notice.

"Sorry for that," Ichigo said.

"It's fine. Who is that, may I ask?" Aizen questioned.

"Tensa Zangetsu," the spirit answered tersely.

Aizen seemed to mull over the thought. Zangetsu stared at him, gaze calculating and suspicious.

"So, uh, what are we going to work on today?" Ichigo asked, breaking the intense stare-off.

"Let's work on your sword skills again," Aizen decided.

Ichigo brought his hand to the hilt of Zangetsu only to pass over air. Right. Zangetsu was currently standing a little ways off, observing the two. Ichigo caught his eye and gestured at the lack of a sword in his hands. A pure black daito materialized in Zangetsu's hands, and he threw the blade at Ichigo, who hastily caught it.

Aizen dropped down to a fighting stance, and Ichigo did the same. A moment passed, and the two flung at each other. Ichigo fought differently, Aizen noticed as he ducked under a branch. There were little openings, and when there was one, it was ultimately unreachable due to the dense vegetation. The thing that made Kurosaki Ichigo so frightening was his adaptability, Aizen realized. He felt a nick on his cheek, and quickly deflected the black blade.

"You can use Shunpo again?" Aizen asked.

"Who knows?" Ichigo quipped with an arrogant smile.

Off to the side, Tensa Zangetsu followed their movements. Both of the fighters were holding back, but they still gave the other a hard time. In his mind, he was analyzing Aizen's fighting style, in case if they'd have to go against him in something other than a friendly spar. At the same time, he smiled fondly at his wielder. Ichigo's face was clearly painted with determination, and with it, he was able to land several cuts on Aizen. Their fight blurred as they began the use of Shunpo. He easily followed their movements, but to an untrained eye, it would've been incredibly hard to see something other than a blur.

Finally, the leaves stopped twisting toward the wind, and Ichigo was seen holding a blade to Aizen's throat. His eyes were sparkling with triumph, and Aizen's were wide with slight disbelief. Ichigo lowered his daito and helped Aizen up with his left hand. The smirk on the teen's face was infectious, for Zangetsu found the corners of his mouth twitching up as well.

The fight restarted the minute Aizen sat up. Fortunately, Ichigo was ready for the strike meant to cut a hole through his stomach. He jumped back, and Aizen followed. The forest was filled with the clashes of steel and untraceable blurs of white. After the third round, Ichigo slowed down. He reverted back to normal footwork, and consequently, was struck down after a brilliant strike to his back.

The teen grumbled into the grass, "Looks like we're tied again."

They continued to work on Ichigo's Zanjutsu for the rest of the day, only switching to Hakuda when Aizen got tired of healing all of the cuts and slashes. Night quickly fell, surprising the two of them. Dinner consisted of rice and veggies which was again, fetched by Aizen from a hidden shop.

Then, Aizen disappeared off to who knows where, and Ichigo was once again, alone with Zangetsu. The boy fell asleep quickly, and Zangetsu was left to his thoughts. The pattern of Aizen appearing out of nowhere and sparring with Ichigo continued for several days. It was only broken when Aizen announced that he wouldn't be able to make it the next day.

* * *

><p>Something was different, Ichigo noted as they walked out of the forest. He knew the weird feeling wasn't caused by a lack of a sparring partner, but he couldn't figure out what it was caused by. The boy looked around, trying to see what was different. The ground was still dusty and hard, the sky was a light, watery blue, and Zangetsu walked alongside him, black mask and horn gleaming in the sunlight. Ichigo breathed in the crisp air. Was it the air?<p>

"Is it just me, or something's different?" Ichigo asked.

Zangetsu paused in his stride, electric blue and lightning gold eyes flickering across the surroundings.

"What do you mean?" he said curiously.

"It feels... familiar, or something. Like, something's different, or-"

He was cut off by a loud yell.

"Ichigo!"


	9. Chapter 9

A mess of black hair tackled him to the ground. He felt thin hands hugging him with the strength of a bear.

"Can't... breathe," he rasped.

The pressure lightened. He lay there, unsure of what he should do. He felt several other people approach him. When he saw them, memories instantly assaulted his brain. There were flashes of every color imaginable and every feeling he could endure wracked his mind. The weight lifted off his chest, and he quickly brought up a hand to his head. His head throbbed, and he shut his eyes in an attempt to keep the memories at bay.

"Kurosaki-kun?" a soft, hesitant voice called out.

More memories. He clutched his head harder, and curled in on himself. He saw golden light, a snow storm in the desert, blood, a giant bamboo snake. Too much. With each image brought a new feeling and each feeling constricted his chest as if squeezing all of the air out of it. There was fear, relief, grim determination, amazement. His hands tightened in his hair. Distantly, he heard the soothing alto of Zangetsu speaking.

He felt a hand rub his back, and he inwardly cursed at himself for being so _weak_. His hands gradually untangled themselves from his hair, and his eyes opened slightly. He heard Zangetsu give out instructions of some sort.

The pain in his head smoothed into a dull ache, and he finally looked up to see his friends. _Friends_. A light smile broke out on his face as he thought of his friends. The first person he saw had a head of short, raven colored hair. He remembered shinigami, hollows, and the overwhelming feeling of gratitude. She stood in a way so as to block his view of everyone behind her, and Ichigo realized Zangetsu had asked them to greet him one by one. The teen flashed a grateful smile at the Zanpakuto.

"We were looking everywhere for you, Ichigo," Kuchiki Rukia said, happiness clear in her voice.

He blurted out, "Your hair's different."

An annoyed expression replaced the previous happy one.

"Of all the things you remember," she muttered.

She held out a hand and pulled Ichigo up to a standing position. Though he could've easily looked over her to see his other friends, he kept his eyes on her face. It wouldn't do good to have another wave of unbearable pain. After a bit of standing and simply observing each other, Rukia moved to the side. A taller, red haired man stepped in her place, grinning ear to ear. There were long, pointed tattoos running from his forehead to his neck.

"How's it been, Ichigo?" Abarai Renji asked while holding out a hand.

Ichigo shook it and replied, "Boring."

Renji stepped to the side to reveal the black haired Quincy. The orange head remembered Haschwalth, the card that was still tucked in his Shihakusho, and quickly shook off the memories. Now was not the time. He made mental note to think more of it later.

Ishida Uryuu greeted, "Hello, Kurosaki."

"Seriously, did everyone get haircuts?" Ichigo said instead of replying with a greeting.

Ishida pushed up his glasses and said, "Unfortunately, yes. I also highly advise against getting a haircut to match everyone else."

Ichigo scowled at Ishida, but the two quickly turned their condescending looks into playful smirks. Ichigo absentmindedly ran a hand through his hair. _Maybe I should grow it out_, he mused to himself. Next was a teen with long, thick hair that stretched well past her shoulders. Her eyes were absolutely relieved and they shone with unconcealed joy. Her hairclips were neatly clipped onto her collar.

"How are you, Kurosaki-kun?" Inoue Orihime asked.

"Happy, now that all of my friends are here," he answered honestly.

She moved to stand next to Rukia, and a large, messy haired teen took her spot.

"Ichigo," Chad greeted.

"Chad," he greeted back.

That was it. The big guy didn't talk much, but Ichigo could hear the happiness in the single word he spoke. The pain in Kurosaki's head had spiked with each meeting, but he stamped it out. He didn't want to ruin their happy noon, after all. Most of his memories had came back now, but there were still little holes riddling them like Swiss cheese. He looked over the five of them, noting that Zangetsu was standing a bit awkwardly to the side.

"This is Tensa Zangetsu, my Zanpakuto spirit," Ichigo introduced and pointed at him.

Everyone nodded in understanding, but Ishida had an inquiring look on his face.

"No offense, Tensa-san, but as a Zanpakuto spirit, what are you doing manifested?" Ishida asked. "Ichigo has Bankai, and I don't remember hearing any other reason why Zanpakuto spirits could be manifested besides personal choice; which I don't believe is likely since it drains the owner's spiritual energy to stay manifested."

The teen blinked. Huh. He never thought to ask why Zangetsu was always by his side, corporeal and very much real. He'd always just accepted it without questioning why. Ichigo heard Ishida sigh, most likely at Ichigo's obtuseness.

"None taken. Though, I have to say, I wish Ichigo was more observant," Zangetsu said, ignoring Ichigo's sputtering protests. "You're correct in your assessment that I'm not exactly here of my own choice. The reason I'm manifested is because of how the Final Getsuga Tensho works.

"When Ichigo uses it, he becomes Getsuga itself. That means, all of his Reiryoku goes into a single attack. That's why he is left without any Reiryoku; however, given time, the stray particles should find itself back to Ichigo, and he'll eventually regain all of his Reiryoku, like he is currently right now.

"Now, sometimes, spirit particles from the same source will group together. If enough of it gathers in one place, I can manifest. This allows the particles to get closer to Ichigo, so that he can regain all of his energy faster. Eventually, I will have to revert back to Zanpakuto form when Ichigo regains all of his Reiryoku."

Throughout the whole explanation, Ichigo was trying to decipher the expression on Zangetsu's face. It was entirely blank, except he swore there was some emotion leaking through the areas where the blankness didn't cover.

"There's just one thing I don't get. Why're you in Bankai?" Ichigo asked.

Another emotion flashed through his eyes. Ichigo frowned, a slight narrowing of his eyes.

"This is the form I was in when you used Saigo no Getsuga Tensho," he said tersely.

Ichigo nodded.

"Let's head back to Seireitei," said Rukia.

The six of them flash stepped back, well, most of them flash stepped. Ishida carried the humans on his Reishi platform while the shinigami occasionally blurred into existence next to him. While steadily making their way toward Seireitei, Ichigo suddenly noticed the tall buildings protruding out of the horizon and mentally smacked himself for not noticing how close he was earlier.

"Hey, what if I grew my hair out?" Ichigo asked out of the blue.

Ishida was quick to comment, "It would strengthen that delinquent status of yours, Kurosaki."

He scowled and suggested, "Then what if I cut it shorter?"

"I think you'd really look like a strawberry that way, Kurosaki-kun," Inoue said.

"Ichigo, what you should really do is to grow it until it goes past your shoulders, and then tie it up!" Renji recommended.

"No," Ichigo deadpanned. "Then I'd look like a tattoo-less, orange haired version of you."

"Exactly! My looks are great!" said Renji.

Ichigo groaned. All of a sudden, he stopped. He clutched his knees and breathed heavily, feeling the strain on his feet from using Shunpo for so long. There was a thin line of sweat on his forehead, and he hastily wiped it away. It was bad enough that his head was still throbbing, as if a hammer was consistently pounding on it, sending little cracks down his skull.

"Are you alright, Ichigo?" Rukia asked.

Darn, he was hoping no one would notice.

"Yeah, just needed to catch my breath for a moment there," he huffed. "You know, still regaining my Reiryoku."

Her expression was skeptical, but she didn't push. After a few more seconds of breathing, Ichigo resumed his Shunpo, quickly catching up to the others so as to not cause suspicion. At last, they arrived at the intersection. A large ape like man stood in front of thin air, a loose veil for the gates that would crash down if someone tried to go to Seireitei.

"Yo! Jidanbo!" Ichigo called out.

His head felt like it was ready to explode when he got a good view of the man. The memories kept branching off and reminding him of more things and therefore, it was getting more difficult to brush away the pain. He ran his hand through his hair, resisting the urge to hold it like he had earlier the day.

"Ah! Kurosaki Ichigo!" he greeted while lifting up the gate. "It's so nice you aren't Ryoka anymore!"

"Yeah, I never want to do that again," someone behind him whispered.

They entered Seireitei. No memories awoke, and Ichigo was semi-glad they had entered Seireitei via cannonball. He grit his teeth. He shouldn't have thought of that. Memories of boars and bad control of Reiatsu drifted through his mind, creating jabs of dull pain through his brain.

"Ukitake-taicho! Nii-sama! We found Ichigo!" Rukia suddenly called out.

Ichigo looked to where she waved to, and instantly regretted it. He saw white and black before ducking his head to the side, head gripped in a vice like grip. He hissed in pain. Bright and neon pink petals threatened to engulf his head and drown his vision. Ichigo felt several presences coming near him in an attempt to calm him down, and he shakily jerked away from their touch. He heard voices, all of them trying to help, but none of their words working.

Memories clashed, erupting in vibrant, yet torturous displays of color. Darkness seeped from the corners of his mind like a cool gel, sending the memories to rest. The images dimmed down, and Kurosaki Ichigo fell under the comfort of nothingness.


End file.
